This invention relates to a floor cleaning device with an improved handle grip. More particularly, the invention is directed to upright floor cleaning devices such as carpet sweepers, vacuum cleaners and the like which include a base unit which is reciprocable over the floor by a standing operator, who manipulates the device through an elongated handle which is pivotable on the base unit, and thus relative to the floor during use.
Handles for such cleaning devices have previously been constructed so that their upper terminus end portions, comprising a grip for the operator's hand, have been merely straight continuations of the handle, or have been curved slightly rearwardly and downwardly so that the curved portion was generally parallel to the floor during use of the device. The result has been that the operator's wrist has been in a generally weak position when holding the grip. Furthermore, the acute angle between the pivoting handle and floor during use of such known devices has been relatively large, causing the operator to use a relatively high amount of force when translating the cleaning device over the floor.
Other types of handles have been previously utilized for various devices over the years. See, for example, the vacuum cleaner handle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,530,575, and various saw handles such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,531,131, 3,825,047, 4,248,284 and 4,428,266. However, none of these handles form part of an upright floor cleaning device wherein the handle is freely pivotable about a floor cleaning base unit.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a handle grip for an upright floor cleaning device of the type discussed above, wherein the operator's wrist is disposed in a substantially stronger position than in the known upright cleaning devices. It is a further object of the invention to provide a handle grip which permits the pivoting handle to be positioned at a smaller acute to the floor during use, thus lessening the amount of force required to translate the cleaning device over the floor.
In accordance with the various aspects of the invention, the handle grip includes a generally straight first portion which is essentially coaxial with the pivotable elongated handle of the cleaning device and which, in this embodiment, forms an extension of the handle. The outer end portion of the grip's first portion connects with a second grip portion which comprises an arm which is graspable by the operator, with the arm extending forwardly (upwardly when in use) of the handle. The arm is disposed in a vertical plane which is coextensive with and extends through the handle and which is transverse to the wheel axles of the lower unit. In the present embodiment, the arm is bowed or curved from its point of anchorage with the first grip portion to its opposite end, which is disposed in a plane transverse to the first grip portion and passing between the latter's ends. The curvature of the outer arm surface is adapted to nest in a cup formed by the operator's closed hand. The said opposite end of the arm merges into a third grip portion which forms a brace extending diagonally rearwardly (downwardly when in use) back to and connecting with the first grip portion, forming an acute angle therewith.
Instead of the operator's fingers being arrayed along the handle, at an acute angle to a horizontal plane containing the wheel axles, as in the prior upright cleaning devices, the fingers are arrayed normal to the pivotable handle and at an obtuse angle to the axles, thus creating a stronger wrist position. Also, since the handle is effectively below the grip during use, the handle itself is pivotally positioned at a smaller angle to the floor than previously.